Der Nachbar

Spielmann's theme of petty criminals looking to escape from the low-life is present here, but his technique hasn't yet gelled into the distinctive style of Revanche and Antares. Here he relies more on the script and exposition to tell the story, rather than the minimal style of his later work where silences can speak volumes. And the camera is more mobile in this, as though he's not confident enough to let the scene play out. Still, it's an engaging tale of kindness and compromise.